Weapons

The weapons practiced in the Matayoshi system range from the more common ones like the bo and tonfa to the more unusual like the suruchin and sansetsukon. Some of the weapons taught in our dojo include:

Bo- a roughly 6′ stick

Sai- a forked metal truncheon, used in pairs

Tonfa- a right angled club, used in pairs

Nunchiyaku- a short flail

Eku- a boat oar

Guwa- a hoe

Tinbe- a round shield and machete

Nunti bo- a bo topped with a forked metal head

Kama- a cane or rice sickle, used in pairs

Sansetsukon- a three section staff

Suruchin- a roughly 3 meter rope with a rock on each end

Each weapon has its own kata, as well as its own basics and paired practices. They are taught as part of a unified system, with shared principals of use and application. For more information about the weapons in the Matayoshi Kobudo and their provenance, see Fred sensei’s article here.